Electrically-operated sign



Sept. 3, 1929. E. MOHN 1,726,912

Sept. 3, 1929. MOHN ELEGTRICALLY OPERA'IED SIGN 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16. 1928 Sept. 3, l929 E. MOHN ELEC'IRICALLY OPERA'IED SIGN Filed Jan. 16. 1928 4 Sheets*Sheet 3 Sept. 3, 1929 E. MOHN 1,726,912

ELECTRIGALLY OPERATED 5 IGN Filed Jan. 16, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Erwin fl/0/n Patented Sept. 3, 1929.

UNITED STATES ERWIN MO'HN, OF ROCHES'IE'R, MINNESOTA.

ELECTRICALLY-OPERA'IED SIGN.

Application fi1ed January 16, 1928. Serial No. 246,981.

My present invention relates t electrically operated signs and has for an object te provide a rotatably monnted ball upon the surface of which may be displayed any suitable exliibiting indicia or device tending te enhance the attractiveness of the sign during the rotation of the ball and providing electro-magnetic operating means for the ball or rot-ating the same upon a vertical axis.

A further object is to provide a pair of retainer plates 'or rotatably supporting the hall, one of the plates having a stator mount ed therein setting np a primary magnetic field and the hall having 21 wil forming a secondary nmgnetic field and responsive to the f0rce of the primary whereby te cause the rotation of the hall.

Another object is to arrange the coil in 2() the ball, constituting the rotor, responsive to the current passing through the stator s0 as to utilize the same for supplying current to a plurality of electric light bulbs mounted on the surface of the ball, and

2 which may be arranged to create various display efiects during the rotation thereof.

F1gure 1 is en top plan view of the lower retainer plate and support therefor,

F1gure 5 is a similar view with the retainer plate removed showing the c0ils constituting the pr1mary, one of the c0ils being sectional,

F1gures 6 and 7 are details of the primary coil attaching brackets, representing end and side views respectively,

Figure 8 is a sect-ional view of the ball showing the light connections with the secondary,

Figure 9 is a perspective "iew of one of the liglit attaching soekets,

Figure 10 is 21 similar view of tl1e moisturetight Wasl1er for the bulb,

F igure 11 is an elevational view of an assembled sign showing a plurality of reflecting mirrors substituted for the lights upon the surface of the ball,

F igure 12 is a similar view of a slightly medified form of sign, and

Figure 13 is a perspective view of one of the mirrors.

Referring to tlie drawings in detail tl1e invention comprises & bal]. 5, constructed either of s0lid material 0r seetions suitably secured An additional object is to provide the retogezher and supported f01 rotation bef-ween tainer plates of an area substantially greater than the surface of the ball contacting tlierewith whereby t0 permit the ball to travel a circular path between the plates dnring its rotary movement.

A still further object is to provide a sign of this character of simple and practical construction, eflicient and reliable in performance, neet and attraetive in appearance,

inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes 0r which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in tl1e special construction and combination of the various elements comprising the invention, reference being had to the acconipa nying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the assembled sign mounted in operative position,

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the ball showing the coil constituting the sec- 50 ondary winding,

Figure 3 is a similar view showing the winding in cross section,

upper and lower retaining plates 6 and 7 respectively. The plates are secured up0n bracket arms 8, and 9 resectively, providing means f0r fixedly attaching the same.

The plates are of insulation 1naterial and are dished 01 concaved as indicated at 10 to retain tl1e hall therebetween, tl1e concaved area being considerably larger than the contacting surface 01 the hall thus permitting the ball t0 1110X8 in a horizontal plane. The lower plate 7 is provided with a drain opening 11 to prevent the accumulation of water therein.

Tlie enter edge 12 of tl1e lower plate is supported np0n a frarnework 13 attached to the arm 9, said framework including a plurality of spaced parallel supports 14 luwing clamping plates 15 adapted to engage the opposite sides of an angular electro-magnetic mm 16. Tlie c0re is formed of a plurality of laminations 17 having tl1eir ends disp osed at angles of 120 and asse1nbled in a mnnner as shown in Figure 5 to provide a unitary c0re having three arms extending horizontally from a common center et uniform angle. Bolbs 18 exIJ-end trensversely through the laminetions and provide a connection for the support 14 with the clamping pistes 15.

Coil windings 19 are arranged about eaoli of the arms of the core lmving separate electricel conneetions 20 with a suitable source of current, thus forming a primary coil assembly disposed beneath the lower plate 7 up0n which the loall 5 is mouned.

/Vithin the ball, below the center thereof is a hole 21 forming a, housing for a horizontally disposed secondary coil oomposed of an armature core 22 also composed of a series of laminations or if desired constructed of a solid piece 0 material and about which is wcui1d the coil winding 23. The secondary coil is clisposed so as to respond to the ma netic oroe of he prirnary coils end accor ingly upon connectinp; the same to a threephase source of supply e rotating magnetie field is set up part of which Will pass through the secondary or rotor coreand tend to rotate the ball.

Extending radially from the secondery coil is a plurality 01" bores 24 communicating With the outer surface of the ball and terminating at dilferent horizontal planes and at mrious circumferential positions thereon, With electric light sockets 25 secured therein by brackets 26. Light bulbs 27 are mounted in the sockets, a packing washer 28 being provided about the bulb to prevent moisture from entering the bore. Connection is made between the coil winding 23 and the bulb by Wires 29 and 30 attached respectively to the socket and base of the bracket to which the base of the bulb contacts. By transforrner action a suliicien voltage is induced in the rotor coil which is utilized to illuminate the filament in the bulbs 27.

The primer v end secondary coils are properly wound to cause the rotor to spin on a vertical axis at a rapid rate Which imparts to the moving bulbs 27 the appearance of L continuous streek of light circumscribing the ball. Furthermore due to the angular position of the various coils of the primary and the enlarged area of the retaining plates, the ball will travel in a Circle within the concaved surface of the plates, Which from a position at a horizontal plane with the ball will indicate 2L reciprocating movement back and forth along the plates.

In lieu of the bulbs 27, the surface of the ba1l 1nsy carry a plurality of reflecting mirrors 31 secured to en attaching braclcet 32 by a rigid link member 33 pennitting the mirror to be arranged in suspended relation upon the ball and upon the rapid rotaion thereof to move upward to a horizontel plane vvith the bracket 32 due to the centrif ugal f0rce imparted to the suspended mirrors. One 01 more stationary electric light bulbs 34 may be arranged adjecent the ball adapted t0 focus upon the mirrors, the latter refiecting the light thereirom.

The sign thus produced is admirably adapted for use by theatres, cafs end the like as an attractive and distinetive identiying feature.

It is obvious that he invention is susceptible of various changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any 01" its advantages, and 1 accordingly claim all such orms of the device t0 Wl1ich I am entitled.

Having thus described n1y invention, What I claim as new is:

1. A. device of the class clescribed comprising, a rotor, a pair of retaining plates rotatably supporting the same, a secondery coil carried by the rotor and a primary coil carried loy one of said plates and arranged in operative position with each other, illuminating Ineens mountecl on the surface of the rotor end conneeted for operation througl said secondary coil, said primary coil being adapted or rotatably moving said rotor abont a "erical axis and to cause a ciroular move1nent thereof in a horizontal plane.

2. A device of the class described comprising, a rotor, a pair of retaining plates rotatably supporting the same, a stator comprising a three phase primary coil With its respective fields disposed in a horizontal plane with eech ether and arranged in en equidistant anguler relation with each other, a secondary coil carried by the rotor in operative relation with the primary f0r moving tl1e rotor about a vertical axis in a hori zontal circle and illuminating means mounted on the surface or" the rotor connected i"01 operation with said secondary coil.

3. In a device of the class described, a rotatable member having a free axis, electro megnetio operating meens spacecl from the Ine1nber, an electro-magnetic responsive 1neans eccentrically arrenged in saicl member whereby to provide for the rotation thereof in a predetermined plane and illuminating Ineens mouned on the member and alranged for energization by said operating 11162113.

4. in a device of the class described, a rotatable member having a free axis, eleofro- 'magnetie operating means spaced from he me1nber, en electro-magnetic responsive means eccentrically arranged in said member Whereby to provide for the rotation thereof in a predetermined plane and illuminating means mountecl on the member and arranged for energization loy said operating 1nean s, said responsive means providing a c1rcu1t connection for the illurninating means With said operating means.

5. In a device of the class described, a stator comprising a series of radially disposed prirnary coils, a rotor spaced from the stator having a free axis and a secondery c01 eccentrcally arranged in the rotor and responsve to the prmary 0011 whereby t0 rotate the rotor in a predetermned plane.

6. In a device of the c1ass descrbed, a stator comprising a series of 1adally disposed prmary c0i1s, a rotor spaced from the stator having a free axs, a secondary c0i1 eccentrcally arranged in the rotor and tesponsiVe to the primary c01 whereby t0 10- tate the 1001 in a predetevmned plane and electrcally ene1gzed llumnatng means mounted on the surface of the rotor and operat-wly connected wth the secondary c0 f0r energzaton by the prmary c01.

In testimony whereof I aflx my sgnature.

ERWIN MOHN. 

